Bavarian Farmers demand urgent federal aid amid agricultural crisis

Representatives of the Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV) have issued urgent demands to Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer to address the economic crisis facing family-run farms. During a meeting in Herrsching, district leaders highlighted that rising costs, yield losses due to heat and drought, and collapsing producer prices—particularly in pig farming—are threatening the survival of many agricultural businesses.

To secure liquidity, the BBV is calling for at least 50% of direct payments to be issued immediately, with the remainder paid in December 2026. Additional demands include increasing EU crisis aid from 60 million to 180 million euros, providing a 500 million euro special program for pig farmers, and a 500 million euro federal subsidy to relieve social security contributions (SVLFG).

The association noted that other EU nations, such as Austria, Poland, and France, have already implemented significant aid packages. The BBV is also seeking tax exemptions for biofuels used in agriculture and relief from CO2 taxes and the EU Emissions Trading System II.